Three-side lock snap fastener



p 1950 i H. s. VAN BUREN, JR 2,523,241

THREE-SIDE LOCK SNAP FASTENER Filed Dec. 30, 1948 HARQLD S. VAN 'BuREN JR.

Patented Sept. 19, 1950 2,523,241 THREE-SIDE LooK SNAP FASTENER Harold S. van Buren, Jr., Cambridge, Mass, as-

signor to United-Carr Fastener Corporation,

Cambridge, Mass, a

chusetts corporation of Massa- Application December 30, 1948, Serial No. 68,153

Claims.

This invention relates to a three side lock snap fastener assembly, and has particular reference to a socket for such a fastener which may be readily applied to a supporting sheet by an automatic machine.

Three-side lock snap fasteners are extensively used in installations where it is essential or desirable that the fastener become disengaged by a separating force applied on one predetermined side only. Since the sockets of such fasteners must be applied to the supporting sheet with the unlocking side in a predetermined direction in relation to the supporting sheet, it has heretofore been impossible to apply such sockets by means of automatic machines. Instead, the sockets must be applied manually, and each socket positioned individually with the unlocking side in correct relation to the supporting sheet. Such an operation is relatively expensive and time consuming, and the sockets are frequently incorrectly applied.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved three-side lock snap fastener assembly comprising a socket'member and a cooperating stud, in which the socket member has means an automatic machine so that it may be applied to a supporting sheet with the unlocking side of the socket in a predetermined direction in relation to the supporting sheet.

A further object of the invention is to provide a three side lock snap fastener socketmember .for use with a stud of the type which has an enlarged portion thereon, in which the socket member has spring means disposed therein to engage a the stud on one side and to force the stud into engagement with the socket on the other side.

Other objects of the invention will, in part, be obvious, and will, in part, appear hereinafter.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a socket member and an i associated supporting sheet;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the underneath side of the socket member of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a View in elevation, partly in section of the socket member and an assembled stud member taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of a spring member utilized in the socket member of Fig. 3;

26 thereon to enable it to be properly positioned by tained in engagement. behind 2 socket member, showing the relationship between the spring and an assembled stud member;

Fig. 6 is a view in elevation, partly in section, of the socket illustrating the method of assembling the stud therein;

Fig, '7 is a view taken on line 11 of Fig. 3 showing in detail the relationship between the spring member and the socket member.

Referring to the drawing, the preferred embodiment of the improved fastener comprises a socket member Ill having a body portion I2 formed of a base plate [4 and a circular wall I6 attached thereto by an attaching rim l8. A rivet 20 is disposed in the base plate M for attaching the socket to a supporting sheet 22 and an attaching cap 23. The base plate 14 is provided with a number of tines-2| which are adapted to dig into the supporting sheet 22 and thereby prevent rotation of the socket member on the supporting sheet. Similar tines (not shown) may be provided on the attaching cap 23 to prevent rotation thereof on the supporting material. The circular wall I6 is turned inwardly at its lower end to form a lip 24 and an opening 26 for receiving the stud member 28. The lip 24 has a slot for receiving an engaging portion 21 of a spring member 30 which is disposed in the socket. In the preferred form, the spring member 30 comprises a split ring having a loop therein to form the engaging portion 21 for engaging the stud member 28, and a projection 3! extending from the loop to behind the lip 24, the engaging portion and the projection operating in a manner which will be hereinafter described.

The stud member 28 comprises a shank 32 having means thereon for attaching to a supporting sheet 33,'and an enlarged portion 36 on the shank which forms a flat shoulder 38 for engagement with the lip 24 when the studis in assembled position in the socket.

To assemble the stud and socket, the stud member 28 is snapped into the socket ID in the conventional manner, whereby the spring member 30 engages one side of the stud behind the'shoulder 38, retaining the stud in the socket on that side, and exerting a lateral force on the stud t0 bias it against the lip 24 of the opening on the opposing side, thereby insuring that the shoulder 38 is rethe edge of the lip 24.

It will be readily seen that although the stud may be easily disengaged from the socket by a separating force applied on the side of the assem- -bly on which the engaging portion of the spring Fig. 5 is aplan View, partly in section, of the is located, a separating pull applied at any other ma tend to pull out of the socket through the slot 25. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, this is prevented bytheiprojectionfiil', which extends from the engaging portion 21 to behind the lip 24, and engages thelip'24i1when the stud is removed fromthe socket.

In the illustrated device, the engaging portion 21 of the spring member extends slightly above the body l2 of the socket member thereby pro-- viding means by which the socket may be aligned termined position infrelation to the attaching mechanism and the supporting sheet. 1 Many modlficationsofthe device are possible within the scope, of the invention; In some applieations it may be desirable to bend the lip 24 downwardly intothe socket, to provide an'inclined' or rounded portion? adjacent the opening to facilitate insertion of the stud into the socket. Although in the illustrated'device the means on the socket for cooperating, with 'the' directing fingers-of" an auto-matic'machine' is the portion of 'the spring-extendingabovei the socket, other means may beused, suchas a small projection from the bodyitself, extending sufficiently far from the body-to engage the directing fingers. The outer peripher of the body may be of any convenient-shape; Although the-device is readily adapted for-use in automatic attaching machines,

it-can also be'attachedmanually if desired.

Sincecertainot-her changes may be made in the device without departing from the scope of the invention, it-is intended that the--above descriptionshoulwbe interpreted in an illustrative rather than in a'limiting'sense. 1 Y I-claim: r 1, A snap fastener socket for use with astud of the typehaving an enlargedportion thereon, thesocket comprising a body adapted to be secured t0-a supporting material, the body having an opening on one face thereof to receive-the stud and'a recessadjacent the opening-to receive the enlarged portion of the stud, and' spring means extending from said opening beyond said one-face and disposed to engage the stud on one side and bias itintc engagement with an edge-of theopening on the opposing side,

2. A snapfastenersocket for use with a stud of the type having an enlarged portion thereon, thesocket comprising a body adapted to be secured to a supporting material, the body having an opening therein to receive'the studand'a recess adjacent the opening to receive theenlarged portion of the stud, and spring means-disposed to engage the stud on one side and bias it intoengagement with an edge ofthe opening-en the opposing side; thespring means extending beyond the body for cooperation "with positioning means of an automatic machine to enable the socket to be applied to a supporting sheet with the spring means in a, predetermined direction in relation'to the supporting sheet.

3. A snap fastener socket for use with a stud of the type havin a shankand an enlarged portion. on the shank forminga flat shoulder which is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the neck, the socket comprising a hollow body adapted to be secured to a supporting sheet, the bodyqhaving aniopening on one face thereof to receive the stud, and a recess adjacent the open- ,ing to receive the enlarged portion of the stud, a

wallof 'the recessthaving a flat portion substantially perpendicular to the axis of the opening and disposed to engage the flat portion of the stud shoulder when-the stud is in the assembled position in the socket, and spring means in the socket extending through said opening beyond said one face and adapted to engage the stud shoulder on one side of'the studand biasthe stud laterally whereby the flat-portion of the stud shoulder on, the opposing side ismaintained in engagement'behind'the fiat portion of. the wallet therecess on the opposing side.

4;A snap fastenersocket for, usewith'a stud of the type' having a shank and an enlarged portion on the shank forming a, flat shoulder which issubstantiallyperpendicular to the axis of' the neck; the socket comprising a hollow. body adapted to' be secured to a supporting sheet, the body-having anopening; therein to receive the stud, and a recess adjacent the openingito're ceive'the enlarged portionzo-f the stud, a walliof the recess having a flatportion substantially perpendicular; to the axis of the opening and disposed to engagethe fiat portion of the stud shoulder when-the'stud is in the assembled position in-the-socket; springmeans in the socket adapted-to engage the-stud'shoulder on one; side of the stud and bias the stud laterally, whereby the flat portion of -the stud-shoulderzonthe'opposing side is maintained in engagement behind the flat portion of the wall of a the recess on the opposing side, the spring means extendingbeyondthe-body of the socket for cooperation with positioning means of an automatim machine whereby the-socket maybe aligned in a-predetermined 1 direction by the machine for application to a supportingsheet 5; A three-sidelock snap fastener-socket for use with a stud having a shank and'an enlarged pertion on the shank forming, a fiat shoulder which is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the shank, the socket-comprisingabase'mem ber adapted on-the' lower portion-for attaching to a supporting sheet; acircular wall on the upper portion of the base member, thewall being 'turnediinwardlyat its upper portiontoform a .lipv which. defines an. openingrto receive a-stud jmember, and asplit-ringspring memberdisposed ,in the sockethav-ing an engaging portion: ex-

tending through said-opening beyond said, wall and disposed to engage the stud behind the shoulder on. one side, and bias: the stud intozengagement with the lip .on the opposing side.

6. A three, side, lock. snap fastener socket for use with 'a stud having ashank andvan enlarged portion on the shank forming a flat shoulder which is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the shank, the socket comprising a base member adapted on the' lower portion, for attaching 'to a supporting sheet, a circular wall on the upper portion of the base-member, the wall being turned-inwardly atitsupper portion-toform a lip which defines an opening to receive a stud member, and a split ring spring member disposed in the socket having an engaging portion disposed to engage the stud behind the shoulder on one side and bias the stud into engagement with the lip on the opposing side, a portion of the split ring spring member extending above the body of the socket for engagement with positioning means of an automatic attaching machine to enable the machine to align the socket whereby the engaging portion of the spring member is in a predetermined direction in relation to a supporting sheet to which it is to be attached.

7. A three side lock snap fastener socket for use with a stud having a shank and an enlarged portion on the shank forming a flat shoulder which is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the shank, the socket comprising a base member adapted on the lower portion for attaching to a supporting sheet, a circumferential wall on the upper portion of the base member, the wall having inwardly turned lips at its upper portion to outline an opening to receive the stud member, the lips having a slot in one portion thereof, a split ring spring member disposed in the socket having an engaging portion disposed in the slot to engage one side of the stud behind the stud shoulder when the stud is in assembled position in the socket, and to bias the stud laterally into engagement with the lip on the opposing side whereby the stud shoulder is retained in engagement behind the lip on the opposing side, the engaging portion of the spring member extending through the slot and above the body of the socket to provide means for cooperation with positioning means of an automatic attaching machine, and means on the engaging portion of the spring member to prevent the engaging portion from being pulled through the socket when the stud is removed therefrom.

8. A three side lock snap fastener assembly, comprising a stud and a cooperating socket, the stud having a shank, an enlarged portion on the shank forming a flat shoulder substantially perpendicular to the axis of the shank, the socket comprising a base member adapted on the lower portion for attaching to a supporting sheet, a circular wall on the upper portion of the base member, the wall being turned inwardly at its upper portion to form a lip which defines an opening to receive a stud member, and a split ring spring member disposed in the socket having an engaging portion extending through said opening beyond said wall and disposed to engage the stud behind the shoulder on one side and bias the stud into engagement with the lip on the opposing side.

9. A three side lock snap fastener assembly, comprising a stud and a cooperating socket, the

stud having a shank, an enlarged portion on the shank forming a flat shoulder substantially perpendicular to the axis of the shank, the socket comprising a base member adapted on the lower portion for attaching to a supporting sheet, a circular wall on the upper portion of the base member, the wall being turned inwardly at its upper portion to form a lip which defines an opening to receive a stud member, and a split ring spring member disposed in the socket having an engaging portion disposed to engage the stud behind the shoulder on one side and bias the stud into engagement with the lip on the opposing side, a portion of the split ring spring member extending above the body of the socket for engagement with positioning means of an automatic attaching machine to enable the machine to align the socket wherebythe engaging portion of the spring member is in a predetermined direction in relation. to a supportingsheet to which it is to be attached.

10. A three side lock snap fastener assembly comprising a stud adapted to be secured to a supporting sheet, thestud comprising a shank, an enlarged portion on the shank forming a flat shoulder which is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the shank, the socket comprising a base member adapted on the lower portion for attaching to a supporting sheet, a circumferential wall on the upper portion of the base member, the wall having inwardly turned lips at its upper portion to outline an opening to receiv the stud member, the lips having a slot in one portion thereof, a split ring spring member disposed in the socket having an engaging portion disposed in the slot to engage one side of the stud behind the stud shoulder when the stud is in assembled position in the socket, and to bias the stud laterally into engagement with the lip on the opposing side whereby the stud shoulder is retained in engagement behind the lip on the opposing side,

the engaging portion of the spring member extending through the slot and above the body of the socket to provide means for cooperation with positioning means of an automatic attaching machine, and means on the engaging portion of the spring member to prevent th engaging portion from being pulled through the socket when the stud is removed therefrom.

HAROLD S. VAN BUREN JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent? UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,278,798 Carr Sept. 10, 1918 1,433,784 Carr Oct. 31, 1922 

